Different Constitutional and Quasi-judicial Bodies (Part-1)
Welfare Related Bodies
Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation
The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), statutory body, was established by Government of India under the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 in accordance with the constitutional provisions under ‘Directive Principles of State Policy’ which provides that the State shall within the limits of its economic capacity make effective provision for securing the right to work, to education and to public assistance in cases of unemployment, old-age, sickness and disablement and undeserved want.
As a statutory body of the Government of India under the ministry of labour and Employment, the EPFO administers a compulsory contributory provident fund scheme, pension scheme and an insurance scheme. It is one of the largest social security organisations in the world in terms of the number of covered beneficiaries and the volume of financial transactions undertaken.
Administratively, the organisation is organised into zones which are headed by an additional central provident fund commissioner for each of the political states in the country. The states have either one or more than one regional offices. Most of the districts in the country have small district offices where an enforcement officer is stationed to inspect the local establishments and attend to grievances.
The goal of the organisation is to extend the reach and the quality of publicly managed old-age income security programmes through consistent and ever-improving standards of compliance and benefit delivery in a manner that wins the approval and confidence of Indians in our methods, fairness, honesty and integrity, thereby contributing to the economic and social well-being of Indians.
Employees’ Provident Funds Appellate Tribunal
The Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 provides for the creation of Employees’ Provident Funds Appellate Tribunals, a statutory quasi-judical body, by the central government.
The tribunal consists of one person only appointed by the central government. He has to be or should have been or is qualified to be; a judge of a high court; or a district judge.
A tribunal may, after giving the parties to the appeal, an opportunity of being heard, pass such orders as it thinks fit, confirming, modifying or annulling the order appealed against or may refer the case back to the authority which passed such order with such directions as the tribunal may think fit, for a fresh adjudication or order, as the case may be, after taking additional evidence, if necessary.
Central Wakf Council
The Central Wakf Council was established as a statutory body in December, 1964 by the Government of India under the provision of Wakf Act, 1954 for the purpose of advising it on matters pertaining to the working of the State Wakf Boards and proper administration of the wakfs in the country.
The council consists of chairperson, who is the union minister in charge of wakfs, and such other members not exceeding 20 in numbers appointed by Government of India as stipulated in the act. The secretary is the chief executive of the council. The council office at present works in New Delhi. The council derives its income from the contribution received by it from the various State Wakf Boards at the rate of one per cent of the net income of the wakfs. All administrative and other expenses of the council are met out of this income.
Wakf is a permanent dedication of movable or immovable properties for religious, pious or charitable purposes as recognised by Muslim law, given by philanthropists.
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